Search This Blog

Remembering Brad Deaton

It still seems surreal that I am even writing this.

On January 25th, Earth lost an amazing person and Heaven gained my dear friend Brad Deaton. His life was dedicated to bettering others and bringing them joy. Although it is painful loss on Earth… it’s a great gain for Heaven. I want to use today to celebrate all that he did for my life, the world, and International Pageants.

In 2015, Brad judged the Miss & Miss Teen International pageant. He selected the beautiful Jules Fletcher and Elise Banks - two ladies who represented our sisterhood so well. Brad brought them joy in interview and celebrated their victory at the Coronation Ball. There’s no doubt that he as a light and helped these women set the tone for their year.

Months after he served as a judge, I reached out to him to seek assistance in preparing for Miss International. I knew nothing about him except that he knew more than I did and would know how to prepare my skill set and mind for 2016 Internationals. I sent him a message and received a quick and loving response. He immediately took me under his wing as a client and friend. We would exchanged multiple text messages each day. In every message, there was an uplifting message or encouraging word. Brad and I coined the term “Ready For The Job” or #RFTJ. We joked multiple times about egg-whites and the funny aspects of pageants. When either one of us was down - we’d encourage one another in our walks with the Lord.

Brad was a huge part of me becoming Miss International 2016. I couldn’t have done it without him. He was an angel and blessing. It pains me to know that I’ll never hear his kind remarks, snappy comebacks, hysterical jokes, and life stories with his beautiful Mom - Anita. I would do anything for one more call about life or tight embrace.

Although the world may never again get to experience his life this side of Heaven… I truly hope that he knows how much I love him and appreciate his heart. I hope that his energy lives through me and that I have the impact on someone’s life that he had on mine.

International Pageants has been blessed in more than one way by Bradley Reynolds Deaton. We are a better family, program, and organization because of his impact. I know that seeing his photo on our blogs would bring him so much joy - and he’d humbly say that it was all me… but Brad and I both know that it was God’s blessing. God worked through Brad and the various people that helped me get this job, He may not have been Miss International… but he was the “man behind the crown”.